Colin restrained himself with difficulty, but made quiet answer. "I had
rather see it settled as a provision on Mary and her children."
Lord Keith growled something about minding his own concerns.
"That is all I desire," responded the Colonel, and therewith the
conference ended. Nor was the subject recurred to. It was observable,
however, that Lord Keith was polite and even attentive to Ermine. He
called on her, sent her grouse, and though saying nothing, seemed to
wish to make it evident that his opposition was withdrawn, perhaps as no
longer considering his brother's affairs as his own, or else wishing to
conciliate him. Lady Temple was not molested by any alarming attentions
from him. But for the proclamation, the state of siege might have been
unsuspected. He settled himself at the southern Gowanbrae as if he had
no conquest to achieve but that of the rheumatism, and fell rapidly into
sea-side habits--his morning stroll to see the fishing-boats come in,
his afternoon ride, and evening's dinner party, or whist-club, which
latter institution disposed of him, greatly to Colin's relief. The
brothers lived together very amicably, and the younger often made
himself helpful and useful to the elder, but evidently did not feel
bound to be exclusively devoted to his service and companionship. All
the winter residents and most of the neighbouring gentry quickly called
at Gowanbrae, and Lord Keith, in the leisure of his present life, liked
society where he was the man of most consequence, and readily accepted
and gave invitations. Colin, whose chest would not permit him to venture
out after sunset, was a most courteous assistant host, but necessarily
made fewer acquaintances, and often went his own way, sometimes riding
with his brother, but more frequently scarcely seeing him between
breakfast and twilight, and then often spending a solitary evening,
which he much preferred either to ecarte or to making talk.
The summer life had been very different from the winter one. There was
much less intercourse with the Homestead, partly from Rachel being much
engrossed with the F. U. E. E., driving over whenever the coachman would
let her, to inspect progress, and spending much of her time in sending
out circulars, answering letters, and writing a tale on the distresses
of Woman, and how to help them, entitled "Am I not a Sister?" Tales were
not much in Bachel's line; she despised reading them, and did not love
writing them, but she knew that she must sugar the cup for the world,
and so she diligently applied herself to the piece de resistance for the
destined magazine, heavily weighting her slender thread of story with
disquisitions on economy and charity, and meaning to land her heroines
upon various industrial asylums where their lot should be far more
beatific than marriage, which was reserved for the naughty one to live
unhappy in ever after. In fact, Rachel, in her stern consistency, had
made up her mind to avoid and discourage the Colonel, and to prevent
her own heart from relenting in his favour, or him from having any
opportunity of asking an explanation, and with this determination she
absented herself both from Ermine's parlour and Lady Temple's croquet
ground; and if they met on the esplanade or in a morning call, took
care never to give the chance of a tete-a-tete, which he was evidently
seeking.